Man-made Islands September 15, 2019

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), part of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, announced this week that China has largely completed construction of military installations on the artificial islands the nation has constructed in the South China Sea. According to their report, China may begin deploying military equipment and personnel to … [Read more…]

The incoming U.S. administration’s tough talk against China has set the stage for showdowns on everything from security to trade and cyberspace, but contradictory signals are sowing uncertainty over how far President-elect Donald Trump is prepared to go in confronting Beijing.
Highlighting the contested South China Sea as a potential flashpoint, Trump’s Secretary of State … [Read more…]

The Chinese have been spotted via satellite building dozens of hardened structures atop some of their new, man-made islands in the South China Sea. While China still maintains the islands and any development on them is to help out fishermen, these new structures are just the latest in mounting evidence that its intentions aren't so pure.
The hardened structures are similar … [Read more…]

Military tensions between rival nations around the world have ratcheted up in recent weeks as Russia continues its saber-rattling, Iran threatens Israel with invasion, and North Korea fires missiles toward Japan.
Meanwhile, China has refused to back down in a confrontation with the Philippines over its man-made islands, and the U.S. has responded by deploying Navy ships to … [Read more…]